And We Run
by Precious Subordinate
Summary: "Would you stake your alchemy skills on your love for her? Would you bet your life on the fact that she loves you back?" Ongoing. Almei, Edwin, Royai.
1. You Send Me A Postcard

Good idea you keep me waiting around. I'll just wait here until you decide to come back to town. You don't call, that's alright; you send me a postcard.

After the fall of King Bradley, the rebuilding of Amestris had been problematic. Though Alphonse and Edward offered what little time they could to the cause, Alphonse's condition forced him to remove himself from the situation and live elsewhere. It was the first time the boys had been apart by choice since the unfortunate accident in 1904. Though the choice remained difficult, Edward reluctantly left his brother in the loving hands of Winry back in Resembool. Perhaps that would be all it took to make the difference in his recovery.

Alphonse had grown weaker in that time, constantly striving to get better, pushing his limits to grow stronger. But there was nothing he could to to change the fact he'd been lying dormant somewhere for the better part of ten years. All that time in the gate; all that knowledge, and he couldn't fix this problem. While frustrating to the enth degree, Al refused to give up hope just yet. After all, there was a lovely little girl in Xing that was waiting to see him again, and he wasn't going to let her down.

When the fighting had ceased, the damage was done, and the dust had cleared, everyone had parted ways. Except one young soul that couldn't quite bring herself to leaving. The tiny girl stood on the platform of the train station, awkwardly shuffling from side to side, standing with her eldest half-brother, hands fidgeting with the bow of her jacket. Alphonse remembered that look clearly, though he had only offered a sidelong glance at her petite frame, he never expected to be saying goodbye after all they had been through. The duo swore that they would write letters to each other, however, and share notes on what they learn in their travels...assuming that either one of them returned to their travels.

The first night he had managed to sleep, he was awoken by a nightmare involving that night. He had watched her get onto the train, only for the train to be sucked into a black abyss created by Pride. His heart had beat a million miles a minute, he'd stayed in bed for days and refused to work on his physical therapy, much to the dismay of Winry. This was, of course, until the first letter arrived from Xing. It was tied neatly with a thin blue silk, sprayed once with her eloquent perfume. He loved that scent; had grown so used to it, he couldn't shake it from his head. Poppy? Lavender? What on earth was it? He'd have to ask in his letter.

Each letter was longer than the last, sometimes containing little trinkets she found and thought of him. One of them had a small folded envelope of exotic tea in it, which he brewed and used for his studying, only to find it helped keep his nerves calm. The next letter after that contained a coin; the price of a train ticket, she had commented. Beyond that, and the pile of luxurious silk ribbons that were accumulating on his desk, Alphonse had a box of letters to a girl he could never get off his mind, and apparently she felt the same.

That wasn't to say that Alphonse wasn't neglecting a few things. Winry often left a list of chores to be done, simple housekeeping things he could do while she was in town. He would often use these chores as inspiration for his letters, things to writ and comment on. He once wrote a letter to Mei explaining that he had found a poor bird with a broken wing while painting the fence. He took it in and fixed it up, naming it Hutch. Though he didn't know why he picked that name, it still elicited a response from her.

Mei would often comment on the simple things he wrote about, finding amusement in the way he wrote, or the simple dialect he used. He wasn't so eloquent with words as he was with speech, but that didn't bother her one bit. The letters continued to come, so he never assumed that was the case.

Eventually, he had the mail route down to a science. He knew how many days to calculate for letters, when to mail them to arrive on holidays; when to expect delays, how long it took for them to travel between Resembool and Xing, which postal carrier would take the longest, and what weather conditions to prepare for. He had spent so much time studying all of this, that he hadn't even realized his own physical body deteriorating.

In a fit of rage, Winry confiscated the box of letters and hid it away. She would often meet the mail carrier before Alphonse could, and would hide away the letters, saying that it was cruel, but he could have them back after he did certain things. His physical therapy was far more important than letters, and she didn't know how to get him to realize that. While he continued to push himself harder and harder, he continued to write and write - in a journal this time.

He didn't know when he would be allowed to write back to his love, or how many of her letters had now gone unanswered because of his negligence, but he knew that keeping a journal was the best thing he could do to solve the problem. Hopefully one day the tiny princess could read what he was writing to her. All these lovely stories and notes he'd left behind; the things that brought smiles and the things that made it rain. Maybe she would feel the same as he had.

As he got better, started standing on his own two feet, Winry allowed him to start writing again. To his dismay, the letters had stopped several months prior. Not because of his lack of writing, but because the Emperor had discovered her writing to a man in another country and felt like she was betraying her own. This upset Alphonse; greatly. How could anyone assume he was a bad person after he helped save a country?

"Winry!" Alphonse shouted, wandering through the home. His arm braced against the wall for support, slender and malnourished form seeking out the blonde in the long hallways. Usually he could look for the light on in the distance and find her working, but today she wasn't working. Today she was sitting at her desk, reading a letter. A letter tied with a blue ribbon that was all-too familiar to him. "Winry...isn't that mine?"

The blonde looked up at him, tears in her eyes. She clutched the letter to her chest for a moment while she caught her breath, then handed it over to him. "Alphonse, I...don't think you want to read this one. It's...going to hurt."

Winry was right in every sense of the word. It hurt. It hurt like his soul being ripped from his body; like his heart being plucked from his chest, or the gate of truth being thrust upon him. It hurt like nothing else he had felt before. There, written in her lovely penmanship was the words he never wanted to read. The hope he'd gleaned was now lost and buried. No longer braced against the wall, he felt his body sliding down to the floor in a heap of a mess. "She...doesn't love me?"

"Alphonse, I'm sorry." Winry commented quietly, reaching out to touch his shoulder. Alphonse pulled away, causing her to flinch. "I don't...understand it much myself."

He read and reread the letter over and over again, scanning for a secret code, hoping for a message. Maybe somewhere in that mess of jumbled up letters he was seeing, he could find an excuse that made sense. Why had she wasted so long on him, saying she would wait for him, if she was lying? Did she love someone else? He bit down hard on his lip and looked up at Winry. "I…" He coughed and closed his eyes. "I don't understand. She told me she loved me. Ten of the letters even say it...what happened? Why did she stop? Can people just stop?"

"Alphonse, if I knew, I would give you the answers, but I don't. I can barely even make heads or tails of my own relationship." The elder girl reached down to retrieve the letter, holding it in her hands. Sealed with the same stamp, same ribbon, same perfume...even using her handwriting. The girl studied the note carefully for any kind of tampering, but she found nothing. "I'm so sorry, Alphonse. I know it doesn't help, it doesn't change what happened, but she might still come around again. Didn't she say she was eagerly awaiting your visit?"

Alphonse rarely cried, rarely showed emotions such as anger and pity. But tonight, the chaos swarming in his mind was weighing heavy on his heart. He whimpered and brought his knees to his chest. That was all the hope he had left in his recovery. He'd spent all this time searching for his body, for answers and a solution; fell in love, and then had it taken away. Was this what his father felt like when their mother died? Did Hoenheim even feel anything at all in his last years? "I...want to be alone."

"Do you need help going back to your room?" Winry inquired, reaching out to examine his leg under her prodding fingertips. He still looked emaciated, like he was thin and not eating, but that would be like that for a while. For now, she knew he needed a haircut, a smile, and maybe a kitten - but not in that order.

* * *

Chapters will be shorter than usual, too many complaints about them being long.


	2. Have I Lost My Mind?

_Am I in too deep? Have I lost my mind? I don't care, you're here tonight._

"Alphonse, are you absolutely certain that this is a good idea?" The voice belonged to Winry, but the concern was that of his sister-in-law. Alphonse knew this was a bad idea, but why wouldn't he pursue his dream of becoming a doctor? Just because the country he had to go to was the one his former lover was from - well, Xing was a rather large country, the odds of running into her were pretty minimal. Plus with 40-something sisters, it wasn't likely anyone would know him. He wasn't a hero or anything, not like she or Edward…

Winry moved her hand to trace a finger gently over the inscription on the card, the royal wax seal, and the embroidered ribbon that held the letter closed. Somewhere in her mind, she knew that Alphonse was making a mistake - but he was going to do it anyway. She couldn't talk either of the Elric's out of a dumb decision, even if she wanted to. Her hand was resting on the card, shaking her head. "Look, I understand that you want to show your support to Xing by going to this stupid thing, but…"

"She has forty some sisters, and Mei is eighteen already. So I know for a fact that it isn't for her. Besides, she wouldn't recognize me anyway. It's been five years. If she did, it would be nothing short of a miracle. Both of us surely have changed since then." Alphonse was looking for excuses and Winry knew that better than anyone, but he still tried to hide the fact that he really missed the letters from Mei. "Ling invited me, I can't just say no. Besides, it's not like him to lead me into a trap. He's not that kind of person."

"Mischievous, creepy, and perverted? I think you have the wrong person," she sighed and flopped into a chair, looking to the taller man. "At least consider this; I know you'll be staying with Ling while you're there, but what if she's there? He's her half-brother, they're close...obviously she'd be seeing him at some point."

"If I do, I do," Alphonse commented, folding his arms and leaning against the wall. He propped one foot up against the wall and shook his head. "Ling promised me that Mei wouldn't be a guest at this event. I trust him, he's never lied to me before. Please, Winry, have faith in me, I wouldn't go if I knew it was some kind of trap. And it's a great way to start off my visit in Xing; catching up with royalty - how often can a kid like me say he met a royal princess?"

"One of almost fifty, yeah, she's so royal." Winry scoffed.

Alphonse frowned. Winry used to love Mei, she often told Alphonse that they would make a cute couple - despite the three year age difference. But now that Mei stopped writing, suddenly Winry changed her tune. That had him up in arms and the tension was quite insurmountable. "I still love her," He commented, a soft sigh escaping his lips. "It isn't fair."

"I know, Alphonse, but I want to be sure that you're going to Xing for the right reasons - not because of her. She's probably moved on by now - found a new crush. She was only thirteen when you met her, girls grow up and move on."

"You didn't." The answer was curt, almost painful to hear. As soon as he said it, Alphonse knew he was picking a fight with her for saying Mei wasn't royalty. "I'm sorry. I'm going to go finish packing my stuff. Maybe Edward will be back from town by then."

* * *

The night of the 'event' was here and Alphonse didn't even know how to dress or act. He'd been in a suit of armor for most of his life, so knowing how to dress at something like this was all new to him. The ball was thrown in honor of one of the many princesses getting betrothed. Because of turning eighteen, they could now legally announce the impending marriage. It was all such a strange culture to him, but Alphonse would support Ling.

Ling had been nowhere to be seen for almost the entirety of the morning, having sent Lan Fan to do most of his work for him. Ling promised to help Alphonse pick an outfit, but that was the one thing he HADN'T done. In fact, Lan Fan did it. And she did a wonderful job finding a tuxedo for the younger man to wear. The idea was for him to represent Amestris, not try and insult Xing by dressing like them.

"You look lovely," Lan Fan commented, fixing his bowtie for a third time that afternoon. "Quit worrying."

"How can I _not_ worry? I'm a stranger from another land and the only reason the Emperor allowed me to come is because of the fact that I helped keep Ling alive during the fight with Father. I mean, other than that, why would the man even request my presence?" Alphonse sighed, pushing his hands into his pockets. "I'm just saying, Lan Fan, it's hard not to worry when you feel like the only person in the room who doesn't belong."

"As the young Prince's personal adjutant, I can assure you, he would not have brought you to such an event without knowing the extent of your diplomatic charm. You belong here, you just haven't seen it yet. Now, our customs are a little strange so just keep a few things in mind. This is an event for the Princess, so make sure to congratulate her and offer your gift _in person_. She may reward you with a dance, and if she does, _take it_. Otherwise, continue on to the fiance." Lan Fan smiled softly at Alphonse and ruffled his hair with her automail arm. "Hey, quit worrying. Ling is around here somewhere, just being a social butterfly. He didn't abandon you or throw you to the wolves."

The fluttering in the room ceased and people stood still. Taking his cues from Lan Fan, he stopped as well. Alphonse was carefully watching the long swirling staircase, it seemed as if it went on forever. Near the top of the steps was a set of ornate ivory doors where the two were supposed to be coming from. He noticed the male first, dominating posture and slicked back hair. He reminded Alphonse a lot of Roy, but kept the comment to himself. But then, his gaze traveled to the hand the man was holding. She seemed scared, a bit nervous.

His first inclination was that this woman was _not_ happy with her arrangement. Who in the world would be? Her father was marrying her off because of her skills, because she would bring wealth to the country. The man she was marrying was a diplomat from another clan, joining the two top-ranking clans in social status. She was suffering, her pain was almost palpable. Her blue eyes were scanning the crowd with frantic worry, an underlying tone that he'd come to read very well as a suit of armor. But when she spoke, her voice was loud and demanding. Her presence was enough on it's own to cause the room to silence. There wasn't a hint of fear in her voice.

She spoke in Xingese, confidence laced each word as if she had practiced for a million years. But he wasn't focused on what she was saying; he was focused on what she was _wearing_. Her attire was nothing but traditional, and he loved it. She was adorned in a nearly skin-tight crimson Cheongsam that reached her ankles. The slit up the side was just enough to allow for free movement, and if this particular princess was like the one he knew, then the movement would be a blessing. But what caught his attention was not the bright vibrant red dress - it was the golden dragons that spiralled up the length of her gown. It hugged perfectly around her curves, almost as if the dragon had ensnared her for a meal. _Damn,_ did the Xingese know how to dress. How could a man focus when she was wearing _that_?

That was the moment that Alphonse decided he would marry a Xingese woman, come hell or high water. He felt Ling nudge him in the side and shook his head, looking over at the shorter Asian man. "What, Ling?"

"Did you even hear what she had to say?" Ling questioned casually.

Alphonse shook his head and tried to feign an answer. "Something about how she was glad all of us could make it?"

"She introduced herself, dummy. Way to pay attention." Ling smirked and folded his arms. "You were distracted by the gown, weren't you? Our women sure are lovely."

"What is her name?" Alphonse questioned, waiting for an answer. Ling didn't offer any kind of reply. "Ling!"

"Ask her yourself," Ling replied, watching the girl come closer to them. "You look lovely."

She gave a graceful smile, bowing slightly at the hips so that she didn't show much. "You as well, brother. It's always nice to see you out and about, enjoying the company of others. And where is your female companion?"

"Interviewing a buffet table," Ling commented, casually smirking. "Princess, may I introduce you to my guest? He was invited here by the Emperor himself; a regular alchemist studying our history so he can become a physician. His name is Alphonse Elric."

She offered a hand, palm down, smiling at him. "I've heard of you. You're a bit of legend in these parts. I hear you're the only person to ever successfully face the Gate of Truth and come back with your sacrifice. An impressive feat for such a young man. I presume you wish to also learn Alkahestry?"

"With the Emperor's permission and the tutelage of one of the best, that is my desire." Alphonse bowed, then gently took her fingers to kiss them. "It's nice to meet another real life princess. There's so many in this country, I wonder sometimes how the Emperor isn't harassed by suitors of all types."

"Mm." Her reply was noncommittal, voice low. She leaned in close to whisper in his ear. "Because the men are afraid of us."

Noting that her suitor was far off in another corner of the room, Alphonse took the opportunity to slip his gift to the woman. While it wasn't much, hopefully the sentiment would have meant something to her. "I remember a young princess from this land telling me that all women in the clans must know how to fight. I forged these daggers from my old suit of armor and hoped that the lessons I learned would be enough to offer you harmony in your new marriage."

"The sentiment is quite charming," She handed the box off to Ling and smiled to Alphonse. "Come, I would like to dance."

"I...I'm afraid I don't know any Xingese dances. My sister in law did teach me how to ballroom dance...if that's alright?" He was flustered, his words forming one large run on sentence, voice whispy and shaky. "I mean not to offend, Princess, but I haven't left home in many years, and this country is off limits to us outsiders. I only wish to be the guest that your Emperor expects of me."

Before he could continue, she had a hand resting on his shoulder, the other tangled within his own. "You talk too much, Dear Alphonse. Please silence yourself and enjoy the moment."

"I must ask, Princess," He moved with her, allowing her to lead. How she could move in that dress was a mystery, but he wouldn't question that. Enjoy the moment. "Please, if it's too forward of me, do tell me to shut up - but I couldn't help but notice that you look rather unhappy with your arrangement."

"We live in a world where a woman can lead a country, but she is still not capable of picking a husband. I fear that this will not change any time soon, and my father feels it necessary to promote peace within the clans. Had I had my way, I would have never chosen him." She looked over at her hand, clasped within his, and smiled when he twirled her under his arm. "There are many pleasant choices in this world, but I must say he is not one of them."

"A woman should be cherished, not traded for profit." Alphonse muttered quietly, arm snaking around her waist. He noticed the looks of the people around him, but she didn't seem to pay them any attention. She was a great dancer, as if she had been to their side of the world before. "If you're unhappy, why not recant the marriage proposal?"

"Father arranged it when I was young. We don't simply get to say no." She sighed and lay her head against his chest; only slightly. "My only love has long since been lost; I hardly think he would feel the same after all these years. Such is the lonely life of the Princess of Xing."

"May I ask what happened to him?"

She tilted her head, a gentle look crossing her features. She seemed lost in the moment, thinking of a time since passed. "I met him as a child, and he watched me blossom into a beautiful butterfly. But time isn't kind to us. It kills all that it touches, and like our love, time was running out. He is still alive, of course. As am I. But time was not kind, and it decided that my fate was better wasted on a man who doesn't even call me by my name unless he's angry with me." Her blue eyes were full of sadness now, retelling her vague story of a man she once loved. "I regret the things I have done to him to secure my country's well being. But it was all a necessity for my father. I do hope he hasn't suffered much. Perhaps he moved on and found a new love, as I have. But unlike me, I hope he is happy in whatever he does."

"You're a very wise woman," Alphonse couldn't help but notice the whole room was on pause, watching them dance. Her fiance was watching, too; dark blue eyes boring holes into the back of his head. And as he stomped forward, Alphonse tried to get her to move, but she wouldn't. _Do not cause a scene. Don't. You're the ambassador to Xing, do not do this tonight. Roy is counting on you to represent Amestris tonight._ "Princess, I think-"

"May I cut in?" The voice was sharp, laced with anger. Thankfully the music was loud enough that no one else heard the interaction. Alphonse took a step back when the man forcefully shoved a hand between them. "Have a bit of respect, you're at a ceremony to honor the sanctity of our decision."

"Please, Liu, he meant no harm." She pleaded softly, moving away from Alphonse rather quickly. "I promise, it was just a dance to honor our engagement."

"What have I told you about embarrassing me in public, Mei?" His hand shot out to grab hers, wrapping his fingers tightly around her wrist. "You will obey me as your husband, or I will make sure your clan suffers, do you understand?"

"Mei…?" Alphonse whispered, shock crossing his features. His golden eyes watched the scene play out, but he couldn't find the voice within him to speak any louder as she was dragged away by a man she didn't love. How did this go so horribly wrong?

"Alphonse!" He hardly noticed Ling beside him, shaking his shoulder. "Hey, man. Party's over. People are upset, we need to go. Right now."

Alphonse turned sharply to Ling and bit his lip. "You told me she wouldn't be here."

"I said she wouldn't be a guest. You're an ambassador to Xing, Alphonse. You have to be able to do these things, or you can throw that title out the window. I thought you were a big enough person to handle it, that's why I told you she wouldn't be here _as a guest_. Now come on, we have to go before they realize that you're the guy who was holding her a bit too close."

Barely compliant, Alphonse nodded and left the palace, still thinking about the woman he loved. The one who told him she didn't love him anymore. If her story was true; then the letters were a lie. Now it all made sense. But how could he win her back if she was in an arranged marriage?


End file.
